New! A game like none you've ever seen before! 3 years after the hit online game Dreamer's World, Anima Software is proud to announce its newest, greatest project yet! Domain of Dreams!"

It was an experience craved by thousands, no, millions. A game unlike any that had been seen or promised before. A game that could take people to a place that had never been seen before. It needed to only be named, promised to be coming, for the eager fans to talk about it on all forums, in all sectors.

From Anima Software Press release, October 2043

Using the recently developed DiveIn system, Domain of Dreams is the first fully immersive, fully interactive, virtual reality online gaming experience. With the DiveIn's unique full sensory transmission, the game will be more than just some 3D projection, or simulated viewing experience. Instead, the players themselves will have their minds, their very senses transmitted to the world within.

The advent of nerve system interrupting technology was already heavily in use, from creating computer based overlays on the world, to a hands and console free workstation, and other things. But those who looked to games, knew that the ultimate test would be this. A full, free roaming existence, a world without any boundaries. And this game would be their world. Created to offer humanity a new path to their dreams, by painting them out. A harmless way to be reborn, if only for a short time, as something new, someplace unknown.

From November Conference, Anima Software presentation, November 2043Enter a fantasy realm crafted to be fully immersive. Take up the sword, learn magic, discover abilities that will shape the world to your own liking. Work with friends and allies, fight hideous monsters, and discover everything in store!

But... what ELSE was it? Rumors, horror stories immediately sprung up. The normal nonsense of a global community's imagination. People vanishing from the company, strange delays and incidents. There were even claims that there were concerns leaking out that the game might be TOO real.

What lurks in a world that would be so much like the real one, that telling it apart but impossible. What existence is this? When a world is formed in such a complete way,, is it merely a canvas to paint fantasies on? What gate might yet be unlocked by human imagination?

[b]From Anima Software Press release, October 2043[b]Beta testing begins Q1 2044, check official site for updates and a chance to enter. The magic world of Odjnmir awaits your return! Take up the challenge! Coming soon!

And... what might come through that gate?

-------

Announcing my new game, for the first time on GRPG! Domain of Dreams! An unusual one, perhaps. Take the role of someone playing a new, immersive virtual online rpg, (It sounds needlessly meta, but I do have plans for it, so don't worry.) ill be running about 5-8 players, haven't decided exactly where yet. Character creation will be coming soon, so just wanna get a count, who's interested?

Well, encouraging. Got a pretty good response, so at least my opening pitch was interesting. Well, time to go into some details.

The year is 2044. The place, Chicago, IL. It has been about 5 years since the newest type of computing system, NeuroDrive, became mainstream. Replacing earlier, clunky eye piece devices, the sleek, simple ear piece resembled old-fashioned Bluetooth headsets. The direct neural shunt allows for augmented reality to be projected directly in the vision of the person. Whether computer program screens, or a keyboard, anything. And it works with senses more than just sight, unlike the projected screens. A world of computer integration takes its next step.

Naturally, one of the first things considered was video gaming. Almost immediately, the technology was experimented on ,creating total immersive settings. The ability to draw the mind into a complete environment, well, that was the holy grail of gaming itself. And into this new frontier has come Anima Software. Popular for their old style rpg Dreamer's World, they have now expanded it into a full new Virtual MMO, Domain of Dreams. The beta, planned to last 6 months, has an unusual setup, which the company claims is needed. 95% of the 8,000 players planned are to be in the Chicago region, supposedly to keep local support in place.

And that's where we come in. Domain of Dreams is a game about a game, the total immersion game mentioned. You will be a citizen of the city(which will be fairly freeform except for shape, feel free to write in whatever you need for your setting.) and a player of the game. What will be the path of this game is finding out what deeper meaning might yet exist in the software, and the inner world (spoiler alert. there is a deeper meaning ^^).

Character creation is still being finalized, but all you need to know is that your focus will be making a typical person of the world, preferably in an age range from 13-26. You'll need them to at least be interested in gaming, enough to have gotten into a closed beta for an online VR game. Most of the CONTROLLED character creation will be of the real world. Creation of your game avatar, in the magic heavy fantasy setting, will be a mix o f a few real life stats and skills, and a character quiz (IE, the game itself assigns roles through a personality quiz) that will be also added here eventually.

Now, there are likely to be questions, I recommend thinking on the implications of free AR technology and the world, but of anything else as well. So feel free to ask questions, its likely that itll be another day or a few till I put up creation.

Some posts to fill in the world. This one will be short (and i do kinda hope people have something to say since i dont want to do a whole bunch of back to backs)

The world of 2044.

Basically, not much has changed. Technology has advanced, the world has become more reliant on the internet and related devices. Computers and laptops have been essentially obsolete for about 20 years, tablets fell out of style a good 15 years ago. The main types of computing hardware were eye based devices that projected an overlay of computer screens, graphics and data, and even input devices, on the world in front of you. These, and projectors, were the most commonly used, until five years ago. The NeuroDive, a sort of ring that is shaped to fit around one ear, changed everything by making a direct visual link with the nervous system, and with other senses as well.

Now, they are the most commonly used devices around. No lenses to clean, you can feel tactile response to typing in thin air, and so many other applications. Paper money, for example, is far more rare, since you can just pay through an online account almost anywhere.

And for gaming, this led to DiveIn, where the senses would be fully interrupted, and suborned to create a full, 3d and virtually identical to reality, environment to interact in. And this leads us to the new games being created.

(a bit self indulgent, but i at least want the technology understood in basic so players can understand the slight differences. I expect to post a larger one, about the game world, later this afternoon or evening. PLEASE, dont hesitate to question or comment. Im interested in hearing thoughts, and am more than willing to steal, i mean, implement, any ideas you might have. )

Okay, an immediate question comes to mind; when using the NeuroDive, what does it look like to a random passer-by? Let's say I'm playing, say, a NeuroDive version of ADOM with full 3D immersion; I'm wandering around through dungeons, fighting off fantastic monsters. Does my roommate (with his NeuroDive turned off) see me:

a) Wandering around the room, waving an imaginary sword and shouting "Die, jackal!", but managing to avoid the furnitureb) Wandering around the room, shouting "Die, jackal!" and regularly bumping into the furniturec) Sitting quietly on a chair, occasionally shouting "Die, jackal!"d) Sitting quietly on a chair, occasionally mumbling something too soft to heare) Sitting quietly on a chair, staring into space

Secondly, if my roommate wishes to inform me that the kitchen is on fire, which of the following methods would work?

a) Calling out a warningb) Waving a hand in front of my eyesc) Grabbing me by the shoulders and shaking vigorouslyd) Putting on his own NeuroDive in order to send me an in-game messagee) None of the above; he will have to pick me up and carry me out

Technically, you mean DiveIn, since NeuroDive is the external device, but i see what you mean.

The roommate will see you sitting or lying down, making no sound, apparently asleep. (DiveIn interrupts the external nerves.) There will a clearly flashing light on the side of the ring, indicating use. Also, if the roommate has an active NeuroDive readout, it'll show an icon over you that indicates DiveIn use.

Disconnect has a few purposes. first, i forgot something. DiveIn is accelerated time, about 50x normal, so you get some extra time while playing. Second, the device responds to certain stimulae. Text messages are alerts within the game, and phone calls are logged. (you can mark numbers on your address book as priority which will interrupt the game.) And extreme stimulae like pain, or smoke or alarms, will trigger a disconnect.

...I'm sure some over-achiever has already encoded his textbooks and study notes in a DiveIn application so he can take advantage of the accelerated time. In fact, a few pieces of software (creating presentations, or a compiler, along those lines) could really improve someone's productivity; you could do two work-weeks worth of work in an hour. I can see this becoming the norm at the workplace very easily. Are there any long-term negative effects known? (Aside from the long-term negative effects of spending eight hours a day doing no exercise).

Similarly, a professor could get his lecturing done a whole lot faster as a DiveIn application.

Of course, since only extreme stimuli get through, this leaves a wide-open field for student pranks; I can just imagine people waking up to find that they have been - very carefully and very gently - placed in an embarrassing pose, or dressed in an unexpected costume. Particularly an unpopular lecturer.

DiveIn is BRAND new. A year, at most. Right now, the biggest risk with acceleration is that it kinda causes some psychological disconnect to overuse. IT only works in a complete encoded environment, too. You cant "accelerate" in real life. Since you can't "move" faster, you would just sit there, looking at everything in slow motion. Very few places use it so far, just some games. Some teaching applications are being planned, but nothing solid yet. But i AM going to ask for a bit of suspension of disbelief. It's hard to control ALL aspects of new technology, so while i like hearing ideas for how things might change, i reserve the right to say "no, they arent doing that"

Note that the exact thing you said is one reason that DiveIn isnt more common. People dont like using it outside their place of residence. too much chance for "fun"

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